The Hindu : Sport / Golf : Course for coaches

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 09, 2004

Sport

Sport - Golf

Course for coaches

BANGALORE, JULY 8. The two governing bodies of golf in India, The Professional Golfers Association of India and the Indian Golf Union have taken a major step in setting up a certification course for coaches from the various golf courses around the country. The renowned Italian coach Donato di Ponziano who has been deputed by the Royal & St.Andrews golf club, the Mecca of Golf, is conducting a six-day course for the coaches. The course, which is being conducted at the Eagleton Golf Resort, is being attended by 52 teaching professionals from golf clubs around the country.

At the seminar, Donato said a major step forward for the game would be the setting up of a national golf academy at a suitable location. India has tremendous potential and uniform coaching and an academy would go a long way in helping players, he said.

Donato's first priority would be to classify teaching professionals operating in the courses around the country. The Italian coach would streamline teaching methods and have a regulated syllabus for the coaches. By this year-end all coaches would be classified and graded according to their teaching skills. There would be three classifications with all the professionals starting from a `C' rating. The coaches would on the basis of various criteria be able to appear for an exam and improve their rating to `B' and the highest rated would be in the `A' category.

The response to the certification has been " more than what he expected," he said and added that all teaching professionals should within the next three years acquire their certification " or they would be out of the programme."

The classification, quite similar to the system being used in Europe and other places, is to be done by a committee set up by the IGU and PGAI.

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